Taxi Drivers Salary
In New York, taxi drivers earn $41,570 at the median, or about $19.98 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $42,328 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 66.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of New York. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $42K get you in New York?
About taxi drivers
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What this looks like in New York
Taxi drivers pay in New York tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,917/month, which is 68.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level taxi drivers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $7K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track taxi drivers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a taxi driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 68.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for taxi drivers in New York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new taxi drivers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,128/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 90% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is taxi driver a high-paying job in New York?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does New York compare to the national average for taxi drivers?
New York pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do taxi drivers make in New York?
The median is $41,570 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,470, and experienced taxi drivers can clear $42,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,813/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 68.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a taxi drivers salary go in New York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median taxi drivers salary is worth about $42,328 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do taxi drivers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.